Automobile-protector.



D. P. ARMSTRONG. AUTOMOBILE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1908.

Pa'tentd 0ct.5,1909.-

mmmw ATTORNEYS,

WI TNE SSE 8 023% DAVID FRANCIS ARMSTRONG, O1? GROTON, CONNECTICUT.

AUToMoBILE-rRotcEcToE.

To allwhom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, DAVID.F. ARMSTRONG,

' a. citizen of the U nit/ed States, and a resident of Groton, in thecounty of New London and State of Connecticut. have IIIVEHlIQCl a .newand Improved 5.aton.obile-Protector,of

which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This inventionrelates to protectors, and inoreparticularly such as areadapted to be arranged on the steering posts'of autoinobiles. to protectthe drivers.

An object of the invention is to provide a protector, which can beeasily secured to the steering column of an automobile, and which can befitted with either a transparent or a translucent shield to protect thedriver.

A further object is to provide a device of the class described,siinplevand eflicient in secured on the column, a spi construction andinexpensive to manufacture,-Which can be applied to any steering columnso that the steering gear can be operated without displacingthe shield.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis speoification, 1Y1 winch similar characters of ref-- ereuceindicate corresponding the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevat embodiment of i y column or an enlarged crosmount t' L parts in all :iihiein, having; side elevation 3 .wluc connectthe shield to the coiand Fig. i3 is an enhirged end e the some.

, ore proceec if to a. near scri'otion or my invention, shot heunderstood that 1 provide protector adapted to be used on automobiles orthe like, and which adapted to be arranged on the sateen ing column ofthe vehicle on which it is employed.

In general, it consists a colierfirnily 'ing movebly carried by thecollar, and adjustable means connecting the rim and a shield, the letterbeing adapted to is positioned before the Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed October 22, 1908. Serial No. 458,956.

that when the member is in p( .iticn a Patented (lot; 5, 11909.

face of the driver to act as protection for the same.

The shield consists of a frame open at the lop and a semi-opaque ortransparent member adapted to be slidably carried by the frame. Thisshield, when a semi-opaque member is used, is of particular advantage indriving at night. It should be understood that drivers of automobileshave greatdifiiculty at night in seeing what is on the road .ivhenanother vehicle equipped with acetylene'head-lights is approaching. Theglare of the lights from the oncoming cat is so great that the driver isunable to see any vehicle which might be between him and the approachingautomobile. I provide my device with this semi-opaque member, such asglass or the like. which will protect the .e 'cs of the drircr from theoncoming lights, While at the same time. that he is keeping the glassbetween himscltand those lights, he

n1a \"lool-:pasi' the shield and see if there is any vehicle orobstruction on the road. My device may be further employed in the davtime with a transparent member. Which Will serve to keep the dust andwind from the. face oi the driver. it should further he understood. thatseveral. forms of columns are used in the a atom and for this purposeher; co: device so that should it he used with a solid ring column. thenan oi the la.

. ..i "c'ij lis ilrni'c 'zlzc silhdl tho driver. on :uconnt i which islocated on ic :-7i-(tlii form shown in ride a collar l adapted to'tceriug column of an autoniol c msi... in z oi. a removable plate 5-3and a men; licr harnu! a portion suit: bl}; shaped so shanncl 4- istornzcd. 'lhc member 25 has a down W:irdly-disposcil portion 5. thclatter having: an opcniiw- 3 adapted to receiv a linear...

rcw pin is'hich scr'vcs lo migaggc in a re 8 i the steeringcolumn tohold col.-

lar in cc thereon. Screws J to re in'orably fasten the ol in por'iion onth Ll d about 2:. split rm 5 and 12 relid con s1 extensions 13.

spectively, both having outwardly disposed in an opening 21 extendingtherethrough.

I bolt 23 maybe passed therethrough.

emovably and adjustably secured to the arm 19 is a link 22, having itsends enlarged and having openings therethrough, one of these openingsbeing adapted to register with the opening 21 of the arm, so that athreadfid T e threaded v.end of'the bolt receives a correspondinglythreaded butterfly nut 24. Located at the other end of the link, fromthat which is secured to the arm 19, is a standard 25 having its lower'end 26 enlarged and provided with an opening, which registers with theopening in the end of the link so that a bolt 28 may be passedtherethrough, the boltbeing adapted'to receive a butterfly nut 27 at itsfree end. The upper end 29 of the standard 25 is constricted andreceives the recessed base 30 of the shield frame40. The latter ischanneled and has itsupper side open. Adapted to be received by theframe is a member 11, such as glass or the like. The base 30 of theframe and the constricted end of the standard haye registering openingsadapted to receive a pin [42, which serves to secure the. frame inposition. 1

It should be understood that I do not limit myself to the particularform of shield and shield member shown in the drawings, as othersslightly'dif'ferent in shape and character may be employed withoutdeparting from the s irit or the scope of the invention; for examp e,the shield may be curved.

When my device is used with solid steering columns, the split ring whichis movably carried on the collar, together with the counterweight, hascounter-balancing effect to cause the shield toremain unaffected by theturning of the c'ollar in steering, so that the collar moves within thering and the shield is not displaced from in front of the driver. Whenthe protector is employed with the ordinary incased steeringcolumn, theouter part of which does notturn, the counterweight can be used by thedriver as a handle to alter the position of the shield, by turning thering on the collar.

These extensions are pro-.

ing column, said means being loose on said column, and a counter-balanceassociated with the shield whereby the latter is held againstdisplacement as said column is operated.

3. The combination with a steering column, of a collar carried by thecolumn, a

- shield, means rotatable on the collar and connected with the shieldfor supporting the same, and a counter-balance in connection with saidmeans.

4. In combination with a steering colunm, a translucent shield, meansfor rotatably mountin said shield upon said steering c01- umn'anacounter-balance associated with the shield for normally retaining theshield in a predetermined position.

5. In combination with a steering column, a shield frame adapted toreceive interchangeable transparent and semi-opaque members, means forrotatably connecting said shield frame to said steering column and acounter-balance associated with the shield for normally retaining theshield in a predetermined position.

6. In combination witha steering column, a channeled collar removablyarranged, on said steering column, a split ring rotatably carried bysaid collar, acounter-weight on said ring for holding the same againstdisplacement,'.a shield, and adjustable means connecting said shield andsaid ring, said means serving to position said shield in front of thedrivers face.

7. Thecombination with a steering column, of a ring rotatable thereon, ashield connected with one side of the ring, and a counter-balance withthe other.

8. In combination with a steering column, of a shield, means forrotatably mounting said shield upon said steering column and a

